


Stronger Together

by kimberleigh



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, cuddlepile
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-16
Updated: 2014-04-16
Packaged: 2018-01-19 12:37:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1470091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimberleigh/pseuds/kimberleigh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Melinda May takes care of them.  But sometimes she needs to be cared for too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stronger Together

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspried by eveningsandcoffeespoons' and regionsofkindness' duckling bus meta and headcanons. Do yourself a favour and read them. They are sometimes painful, but always wonderful.

They were two days on the run from Talbot when Coulson got the news. He calles them into the briefing room and something in his voice made Skye's stomach flip over.

"Agent Ward is working for Hydra." His voice was flat, no emotion, not at all like himself. "He shot Agent Hand and helped John Garrett escape custody."

The silence that met this news was deafing to Skye, but it only lasted until an sob escaped from Jemma. Fitz was there, pulling her into his arms, muttering something about killing him the next time they met.

Skye noticed a look that passed between Coulson and Melinda. She wondered what the senior agents were thinking.

May turned and made her way back to the cockpit, never looking back. Skye looked at Coulson.

"What do we do now?"

"I don't know." And with that he retreated back up the stairs, leaving Skye alone.

A couple of hours later, Skye was coming downstairs from checking on Coulson when she spotted Melinda. Sitting alone at the bar, a bottle of whiskey next to her elbow. Skye knew that it was the same bottle that she had often seen Melinda and Grant sharing at the end of a long day. She sighed. There was no escaping his presence, his ghost lurked in every corner of the bus.

For a moment she thought about checking on Fitz and Simmons first, but they had each other and would be okay for the moment. If she thought she was hurting due to Grant’s betrayal, she could not imagine what Melinda was going through. She thought Melinda might need someone, anyone. Even her. Taking a deep breath, she crossed to the bar and sat down beside the older agent.

Reaching across the bar, she grabbed the first bottle she touched. Rum. She made a face, but poured herself a drink anyways. The glass next the whiskey bottle was half full, but it looked like it hadn’t been touched. Melinda just sat, staring blankly at the wall. Skye opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again when she realized she had nothing to say.

She jumped when Melinda finally said something.

“How’s Coulson?”

“I don’t know. He refused to open the door when I knocked. Just told me to go away, keep an eye of Fitz and Simmons.”

“And how are they holding up?”

“Not too good. But Jemma’s finally stopped crying and Fitz isn’t threatening violence anymore. So I suppose that’s a small victory.” She took another swallow of the rum. “And how are you?”

There was an almost imperceptible movement in Melinda’s shoulders. She wasn't sure if it was a shrug or a flinch. “I’m fine."

Skye could plainly hear the exhaustion in Melinda’s voice. And underneath that, she thought she could hear something that sounded like anger and maybe sadness. It was obvoious that Melinda May was not fine, but she would never admit it. Skye just nodded.

“I’m fine too.” Melinda turned her head at that, and the look in her eyes made Skye squirm. She had never seen Melinda more unguarded, more vulnerable than at that moment. If the legendary Cavalry looked like she was ready to break, what hope did any of them have?

Melinda turned away after a few moments and they sat in silence again. “Do you love him?”

Melinda said nothing for a moment, just lifted her glass to her lips and swallowed half.

“Yes." She sighed."Despite all my best efforts not to, I fell in love with Grant Ward.”

Melinda's answer surpises her. Not that she had fallen in love with Grant. Skye figured they were all a little bit in love with him. No, she was surprised that Melinda was open enough to admit it to her.

“Did you?” The question was not asked unkindly. There was no anger or jealousy in Melinda’s voice, but it still caught her off guard. Skye tried to cover up her reaction by pouring herself another drink. She sighed.

“I think I fell in love with idea of him. You know, the knight on a white horse. Swooping in to save me.” She wanted to laugh, but it tasted bitter in her mouth.

“Grant was a knight in rusted armour.” Melinda drank the last of the whiskey in her glass. “Out of all of us, I think he might have needed saving the most. I tried to, I really did.” There was a hitch in her voice, and Skye knew she was going to break.

She could see Melinda’s hand shake when she placed her glass back on the bar. Skye reached out and touched her wrist lightly. Melinda’s eyes moved from her fingers to her face.

“Come with me.” She left her own glass on the bar and turned back towards the bunks. Melinda hesitated for a moment, but followed. When Skye reached Fitz’s bunk, she slid the door open. Skye slipped inside, leaving Melinda standing awkwardly at the door.

Fitz and Jemma were tangled up in each other, looking from Melinda to Skye and back. “Room for one more?” Skye asked and Jemma extended her hand to Melinda.

“Always.” Melinda just regarded them with curiosity. She didn’t move, didn’t say anything. Skye touched her shoulder.

“You are always protecting us. Let us watch out for you for once.” Skye felt Melinda’s shoulders sag under her hand.

Jemma moved and made space for Melinda between her and Fitz. Fitz curled up against her back while Melinda rested her head on Jemma’s shoulder. Skye settled behind Jemma before reaching out to gently hold Melinda’s hand.

When Melinda’s silent tears finally came, Fitz held her closer while Jemma smoothed her hair and whispered comforting words to her. Skye held her hand a little bit tighter.

Skye wasn’t sure how they would get through the next week, the next day, the next moment. But she knew they were stronger together.

They were family. 

They would survive.

**Author's Note:**

> I totally expect this to become canon divergent after tonight. I just wanted to write something about Melinda finding comfort with her team. The relationship between this four is becoming so important to me <3


End file.
